Author: Jabe Nicholson

The Fragrance of His Knowledge 2 Corinthians 2:12-17 Introduction I have examined as many commentaries as I have in my library, perhaps twenty in number, and they all seem to substantially agree that this passage is using an illustration very familiar to First Century Corinthians. Let Charles Erdman vividly portray the scene: The whole paragraph is phrased in figures borrowed from the scene of triumph in which a victorious general swept through the streets of imperial Rome. In pomp and glory, crowned with laurel, mounted on his chariot, preceded by the senate, magistrates, musicians, the spoils and the captives in...

Top 10 Reasons Christians Don’t Witness “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Martus, translated as both “witness” and “martyr,” refers to those who, because of their testimony, give their lives either all at once or one day at a time for Christ. What is a witness? A witness is not a prosecutor, defense attorney or judge. A witness is required simply to tell what he knows. For the Christian,...

5. A Warning About God’s Choice (Heb 12:14-29) In this study we have stated that the Old Covenant was God-given, and ideal for its intended purpose, but it was never designed to be a comprehensive answer to man’s need. A fine china cup is not flawed because it breaks when I use it to hammer nails; the cup was never intended for that. And the Mosaic Covenant was not meant to be an end in itself. Rather, “the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal 3:24). The fifth fatal flaw...

Another blessing offered in Christ, but not available in the Mosaic system, is forgiveness for acts of willful sin. The repeated refrain of the Law read: “for everyone who has sinned unintentionally or in ignorance.” Any willful sin brought certain judgment without mercy. Anyone claiming the law as a means of salvation, either in the first century or today, must face this grim fact.

In speaking with Donald Cole, radio pastor of Moody’s WMBI flagship radio station, I asked him the passage of Scripture he was most often questioned about on his call-in program. Hebrews 6 was the answer. And perhaps one reason is that we stop the warning passage where I have, at chapter 6, verse 12. If we continued to the end of the chapter, we would see the point of the whole passage is found in verse 11. What is it? Ironically, it is written that believers might have “full assurance.”

There was a second missing component in Judaism. The writer to the Hebrews takes us to Psalm 95:7-11 and reminds us about three Old Testament scenes: first, in Eden; second, in the Sinai desert; and third, in Canaan.

The first century Jews who had been exposed to Christianity had a very tough decision to make. If they embraced this gospel being preached by the apostles, it could cost them their jobs, their families, even their lives. But Judaism was not a man-made religion (at least in its original form). Had not God revealed it to Moses at Sinai? Wasn’t it the religion of David and Isaiah and Daniel? And of Jesus, too! Why must one give up such a religious heritage, especially since it could be so expensive to follow this new sect of the despised Nazarene?

What is a parenthesis? An interlude in a sentence that adds richness and meaning to the whole. The Parenthesis concept—setting off time to be enriched and equipped for living Christ—was advanced by three businessmen with a burden for the Millennial generation in local churches that are seeking to simply follow the New Testament. The first event is slated for May 27-29.

For the last five years we’ve hidden ourselves away in small-town Mississippi. We’ve learned to love the summer heat and turnip greens (sort of), catfish and sweet tea, the beauty of pink crepe myrtles all summer and pansies in the winter. We have been so warmly received by the locals, even though I don’t hunt or fish—although I do drive a big pickup! We’ve seen the Lord work in gracious and thrilling ways. And He’s been teaching this old dog a few new lessons. Occasionally in this blog I’d like to share some of His gracious ways with us.